Ultralight Sleeping Bag

Ultralight Sleeping Bag - Stay warm and dry while camping or hiking!

Mountain Hardwear Lamina 0 Degree	Mountain Hardwear Lamina -15 Degree	Mountain Hardwear Lamina -30 Degree	Mountain Hardwear Sunrise 50 Degree	Mountain Hardwear Ultralamina 32 Degree
Mountain Hardwear Women's Ultralamina 32 Degree	The North Face Blaze 20 Degree	The North Face Goliath 0 Degree	The North Face Kilo Bag 30 Degree	The North Face Mammoth 20 Degree

What is it? It is basically a "bag" that someone sleeps in. It is a blanket with a zipper or some other fastener. A good tent does a great job of protecting against the elements. An ultralight sleeping bag alone may not be enough to protect against all elements.

They are used mainly for hiking, camping, climbing, or hill walking. The main function is to provide warmth and protection from the elements. There is some padding, but a sleeping pad is a welcome addition to an ultralight sleeping bag..

• Basic: Just a square blanket with a zipper. These can be folded in half and many are rolled up for carrying.
  
• Mummy: So named for its shape. It is tapered from the top to the lower part. This type tends to be warmer than many others. Some are designed especially for women. Most of these don't unzip all of the way down. The ultralight sleeping bag normally falls into this category.
  
• Wearable: This type has arms and legs so you can wear it.

Down and Synthetic are the two more common materials used for the ultralight sleeping bag.

Synthetic is better at repelling water. It can even be warm when very wet. The material is also firm, so it provides good insulation beneath you. Unfortunately, they are harder to compress, so tend to take up more space than down. They also tend to break down faster than down as well.

Down is lighter and holds in the heat better. Some newer ones have an outer shell that helps resist water. It is best to remove the down type and hang it while being stored. It is also a good idea to move it on its hangar periodically to help it maintain its 'fluffiness'. These are generally more expensive than Synthetic. They must be kept dry, or placed in a water resistant cover of some type.

Other materials used include wool and cotton. Wool is very heavy, but does a good job repelling water. Cotton is also heavy, and holds water for quite some time, but is inexpensive. These types are not considered an Ultralight Sleeping Bag.